FatherDaughter Moments
by Punk Knut
Summary: So all romance is cliche these days, everyone knows that. there is not one scenario you could place any two characters in that hasn't already been used before andor classed as cliche, so call ikt cliche but its forbidden love. You all want it, you all nee


Father-Daughter Moments: Chapter One  
  
-=-=-  
  
Summary: So all romance is cliche these days, everyone knows that. there is not one scenario you could place any two characters in that hasn't already been used before and/or classed as cliche, so call ikt cliche but its forbidden love. You all want it, you all need it, and she has it; Envious or what?  
  
-=-=-  
  
Warnings: OOC, possible slash, possible language(or probably most definate), mental disorders(ie, anorexia, etc), mentions of death, mentions of suicide, abuse, and teen pregnancy. You have been warned, also warned for future chapters.  
  
Rated: R, so I don't get busted for what my story has been warned against, simply a precaution.  
  
A/N: This is my twentieth story on fanfiction(At the current time) and I hope it shall be a large success. At this moment I am not planning a sequel, but thi is only the first chapter, it depends of how well it goes. And luck you guys, its the hols at the moment, which means a possible update isn't as far away as it would usually be. But remember I have 19 more stories to update on weekly. Enjoy.  
  
-=-=-  
  
"When I tell you to shut up, you'll be quiet, you little bitch!"   
  
Smash! Fragments of glass slammed against the floor as her uncle's 'Hahn Light' fell from his grip.   
  
'How can someone be for drunk off such light beer?' Ruby's mind asked itself as she threw herself into the sofa as an attempt to miss her uncle's next blow.  
  
"Get away from me you asshole!" Ruby screamed, ducking another swing. "I'm not your rag doll to beat around."  
  
"But you'll be beaten around by that father of your baby," Raymond Collins, her uncle, yelled, cursing after glass sliced the side of his foot. "Now look what you did, you slut," He exclaimed, leaning against the sofa, which Ruby had moved away from, as he examined his foot. "Hallie!"  
  
Aunt Hallie came rushing into the room. "Oh, Ray, what have you done to yourself?" She asked, ignoring Ruby completely.  
  
Ruby scolwed at them both, clutched a hand over her bruised cheek and dashed into her bedroom. 'Good thing I keep everything I own in one place,' she thought.  
  
She pulled a suitcase from under her bed and threw it open.  
  
She hurried to the cupboard and transferred every clothes item into the suitcase. She had gotten all her clothes, shoes, make-up and extemely personal belongings into the one large case when a banging started on her bedroom door, which was locked.  
  
"Open this door, Ruby!" her aunt's voice called through the door urgently.  
  
"Fuck you!" Ruby screamed back.  
  
A wailing cry emitted from the cot in the corner.  
  
Ruby rushed over and scooped baby Charlotte into her arms, making soft soothing noises, for all it was worth, as Hallie had started banging on the door again.  
  
Ruby continued her packing, Charlotte on one hip, easily balanced; as she was only one year two months.  
  
By the time she had finished, Hallie was gone and Charlotte was back to sleep. Ruby hand now pilled three large suitcases with essentials and meaningful treasures, with two boxes of Charlotte's toys.  
  
She grabbed the first suitcase and opened the door to her room, she could hear yelling from the living room and slowly tip-toed out the front door, opened the boot of her car and piled the first case in. This continued until there were two cases in the tiny boot and the rest of her belongings in the back seat of the car.  
  
She quickly strapped Charlotte into her baby seat and started the ignition. The moment the car roared to life Hallie shot out the door and ran to the car window.  
  
"Ruby, what are you doing, sweetheart?"  
  
"Leaving," Ruby said, rudely stating the obvious.  
  
"But... You can't," was all her aunt could come up with.  
  
"Yes, I can," Ruby growled, "I'm sick of him, I'm sick of you, and I wont endanger Charlie anymore."  
  
Aunt Hallie glanced at Charlotte in the back seat.  
  
'Where are you and Charlie going to go?" She asked, almost worried.  
  
"Like I'd tell you," Ruby shot, pushed her aunt away from the car and pulled out of the drive away and down the street.  
  
-=-=-  
  
Ruby sat at the wheel, head in hands, gazing at her knees. What was she going to do? She had just left home, she was only seventeen and what was she going to do with her daughter? She was only a year old. The only thing she could do at the moment was get some money and find someone to stay with.  
  
She couldn't stay with any of her friends, they were all out of town. And she definately couldn't stay with Craig, it was completely out of the question. The only thing she could do was get out of this town. But the only family or friends she knew existed outside the town was her father, and she hadn't seen him in twelve years. There was no way he was still at that place, what was it called? Hogwell? Hoggins? Hoghell? Hogworld? Hogwarts? Yeah, that was it, Hogwarts.   
  
Plus, he had left her there, to rot with her mother's brother, the drunk, and his wife, the slut. What would he do if she turned up on his door step? And what of his deep secret? The one thing she had loved about her family. They were magical, even if her uncle had never let her go to magic school six years ago. She still loved it.  
  
Now she was decided, she had to go to her father. He could help protect Charlie, and herself. All she needed was some money. And what better place to get it than from the ex-boyfriend.  
  
-=-=-  
  
"Craig, I need the money," Ruby protested.  
  
"Why? What are you doing?" Craig asked teasingly, leaning against the door. "Don't you have enough?"  
  
"If I had enough, would I be asking you?" she shot, hardly being able to believe how thick this loser was. She hoped it wasn't genetic. She didn't want a thick daughter.  
  
"Are you leaving town?" Craig asked, glancing at the car over her shoulder.  
  
Ruby hitched Charlie higher on her hip, not liking her being in the cold night air.  
  
"No, duh!" Ruby commented, ripping him off.   
  
Craig scowled. "You can't take Charlie from me, she's mine too."  
  
Ruby scowled this time. "Yours?" She snapped, stepping towards him threatenedly. "Where were you during the thirty hours I was in labour with her for? Where were you on her half-birthday? When she needed a new cot? When she ate her first solid food? When she started crawling? When I tuck her in at night? Through her mid-night tantrums? Where have you been during all that. You were either passed out on your living room floor, in your bedroom or at Macca's place. You're a horrible father, you don't deserve her."  
  
Craig was rather taken aback by this, almost hurt.  
  
"Look, I'll send letters and photos and I might even allow a yearly visit, I just need her out of this town, for her, not only me," Ruby pleaded.  
  
Craig gazed down at him daughter. Ruby knew, even if he was such a bad father, he loved Charlotte more than anyone knew.  
  
"Fine," Craig said, sighing. "But I'm doing it for Charlotte."  
  
Ruby smiled and kissed his cheek. "Maybe you aren't that bad of a bloke," she told him.  
  
Craig cupped her cheek for a few moments, as if he wished to kiss her then disappeared into the house. He returned momentarily and handed Ruby a card.  
  
"I've been meaning to give you this for a while," he said, handing her a few sheets of paper.  
  
"What is it?" Ruby asked.  
  
"It's just a withdrawal card, from a separate account I have. So you can buy things for Charlie. You'll need it now. Thise papers are the codes and latest statement. I'll add a couple of thousand in there every few months or so."  
  
Ruby kissed him on the cheek again.  
  
"Thank you, Craig."  
  
Craig barely noticed, he was looking at Charlie again. He leant forward and kissed his daughter's forhead softly and stepped back, about to close the door.  
  
"Bye," He said and closed the door as if it pained.  
  
Ruby waited there momentarily and walked back to the car.  
  
-=-=-  
  
Ruby cursed under her breath as she looked at the map on the table. She had to find this stupid pub in down town London so she could get taken to Hogwarts. If only she could find it.  
  
Charlie started wriggling on her lap, Ruby realised her daughter was reaching for the pepper and salt shakers, and being no where near them.  
  
She told her daughter they weren't a toy for her and looked up at the waitress of the inn they were currently staying at. The diner was connected to the main building as the inn didn't have a food system of its own.  
  
"What can I get you, dearie?" the plump old woman asked her sweetly.  
  
Ruby smiled, "Just a coffee - white, two sugars - and chese and bacon roll."  
  
"Right away, dear," She said, scribbling on her pad and starting to walk away.  
  
"Thank you," Ruby murmured and began feeding Charlie mashed pumpkin baby food.  
  
They had been on the road for two days, on their way to London. Ruby hadn't found how difficult it was lugging around their luggage and Charlie at the same time. But it felt so good to be away from they town and her aunt and uncle.   
  
She'd only felt this safe with her mum, but she hadn't seen her since she was five, same as her father.  
  
Ruby was searching on the map when suddenly she noticed her finger almost being pulled towards a street near the edge of the map. She looked at it, a small square on it was labelled: The Leaky Cauldron.  
  
"Magic," she whispered in awe, she hadn't seen it in years.  
  
Charlie hadn't seemed to notice, but then again, who would expect her to?  
  
Ruby looked at where they were at that moment, then checked her watch. They could be there with plenty of daylight to spare. She bounced Charlie on her knee slightly and offered the tiny girl a scoop of mashed pumpkin, a smile plastered on her face.  
  
-=-=-  
  
Ruby pulled up in front of the pub, by the looks of it, it wasn't very baby-friendly. But she couldn't leave Charlie in the car by herself. She collected Charlie, locked the car and entered the pub, glad there was not smoke like in a few of the pubs she'd been in recently.  
  
She walked up to the bartender, would was polishing a glass, as they always seem to be doing when you walk in, like its like a required skill of the trade.  
  
"How may I help you?" asked the young man, eyeing her.  
  
Ruby turned so Charlie was the first thing he'd see before her figure and avoided eye-contact.  
  
"Hey, I was wondering if you could show me how I get to Hogwarts on this map," She asked, placing the map on the bench.  
  
The young man chuckled softly. "Aye, Tom, this 'ere, woman, wants to get ta 'Ogwarts."  
  
A balding man walked oever from polishing a table. "Hogwarts, aye?" He asked Ruby, eyeing her.  
  
Ruby rolled her eyes. "Can you show me or not?" She asked impatiently.  
  
"Eh, I don't know," The young man joked.  
  
"What would a muggle like yerself be doing at that place? How do you even know of it?" Tom, the balding man, asked.  
  
"I'm to see my father," Ruby told them, gritting her teeth.  
  
"Father, aye, should we help her, Seamus?" Tom querried.  
  
A woman with flaming read hair walked into the bar from a side door, scowling at Tom and Seamus.  
  
"Are you both hassling customers again?" she snapped.  
  
Tom grinned and walked back to his dirty table and Seamus looked down at his glass.  
  
"Seamus?!" the young woman rolled her eyes. "I'm so sorry," She directed at Ruby. "I'm Ginny Weasley, I'm the cook   
  
here. Don't mind Seamus, he just likes having some fun."  
  
Ruby smiled at her warmly, thankful she was there. "It's okay," she lied and was just about to ask her about the   
  
Hogwarts place when the door swung open and her eyes met the most beautiful pair of emerald green eyes she had   
  
ever seen in her life. The young man, whom owned the eyes, smiled at Ginny.  
  
"Ginny!" He called, walking over. "Seamus," He slapped Seamus' hand in a sort of greeting. Then he looked at Ruby, his eyes travelling over her then focusing on Charlie.  
  
"I'm sorry, I don't think we've met. I'm Harry Potter."  
  
Ruby froze, she knew that name, her mother had told her the stories of Harry Potter since the day she could understand what she was saying. Even if he was only three years older than her.  
  
"I... I'm Ruby, Ruby Collins."  
  
"And who's this beautiful creature?" He asked, tweaking Charlie's nose. Charlie giggled gleefully.  
  
"My daughter, Charlotte."  
  
"Daughter? Aren't you a little young to have a-" Seamus was saying before Ginny elbowed him in the ribs, which   
  
looked to be quite painful.  
  
"Anyway, what was it you needed?" Ginny asked, quickly changing the subject.  
  
"I need to get to Hogwarts," Ruby told them.  
  
Ginny smiled. "Harry, weren't you going to see Dumbledore just this afternoon?"  
  
Harry grinned, "Actually, no, that was tomorrow, but I'll take you."  
  
"Oh no, it's fine, I just need to know where it is," Ruby protested politely.  
  
"No, it's no problem," Harry told her. "I have a quicker way to get there."  
  
"Okay," Ruby agreed, trying to hide her delight, this strange, famous, handsome hero was escorting her to Hogwarts, what more could she want at that moment.  
  
"Do you have things?" Harry asked.  
  
Ruby nodded, "In my car."  
  
"Well, we best be off then," Harry said, waving to Ginny and Seamus.  
  
"So nice to meet you," Ruby told Ginny and she simple waved to Seamus before following Harry out of the pub,   
  
through the door he held open for her. A true gentleman.  
  
Ruby indicated her car. Harry grinned and held out his hand of her keys. "I'll just go park it around the corner," Harry told her when she hesitated.   
  
She handed over the keys and watched as Harry emptied the car with a wave of his wand and drove the car around the corner. Ruby walked towards her neat pile of belongings, re-balancing Charlie.  
  
Charlie leant against her shoulder, sucking her pacifier.  
  
Harry soon returned and stuck out his right hand.   
  
Ruby's eyes bulged as a violent purple bus pulled to a stop in front of them, almost hitting her belongings. Charlie let out a soft cry and Ruby hugged her tightly, rocking her slightly.  
  
"You're a good mother," Harry commented just as a scruffy-haired man, just older than Harry stepped off the bus.  
  
"We just dropped ya off, 'Arry," He commented.  
  
Harry grinned. "Nice to see you again too, Stan," He said, helping Stan lift the first case onto the bus. "Ern," he commented to the bus driver as he passed.  
  
"Harry," Ern said, nodding to Harry.  
  
Harry and Ern got the luggage on and Harry returned for Ruby.  
  
"Are you sure its safe?" she asked, eyeing Stan and Ern in curiousity.  
  
Harry chuckled and held out his hand, "Come on, you'll be safe, I promise."  
  
Ruby took his hand and hopped onto the bus. Harry led her to a seat near the front of the bus and sat down. "Maybe I should take Charlotte, though," He told her.  
  
Ruby eyed him this time, but let him hold Charlotte, she had no clue why he wished to hold her, but it had to be for a good reason, he was Harry Potter.  
  
Suddenly the bus lurched forward, making half the chairs on the bus move forward a few feet. Ruby looked hurriedly at Charlotte and Harry and noticed Harry held her daughter tight. Now she knew why Harry wished to hold her.  
  
Stan wandered over after a while. He held out a hand to Harry. Harry grinned widely as he would to an old friend and handed over a few silver coins, ones Ruby oddly recognised, but didn't know where from.  
  
"Here's your change, 'Arry," Stan said.  
  
Ruby looked at him. "You didn't just pay for us, did you?" Ruby asked, hating the feeling of inferiority she got from being so new to everything.  
  
Harry grinned, "You can pay me back some day."  
  
"But- But I have money," She said, pulling a few bills from her purse.  
  
Harry chuckled his beautiful chuckle, which wasn't a sneer but more a friendly noise.  
  
"That's muggle money, you need wizards money in the wizards world."  
  
"Magical world, 'Arry," Stan corrected him.  
  
"Sorry, that was politically incorrect, a new law states that Wizard's world is now a sexist remark," He smirked as if reminded of something or somone.  
  
"I see," Ruby said, thinking.  
  
"Ah, new stop, Hogwarts," Stan announced.  
  
Ruby gripped her hands in her lap. She was about to see her father for the first time in twelve years, what if he didn't like her? What would she do?  
  
-=-=-  
  
Okay, to all my now cookies-gaining reviewers. May I say that please remind me of any spelling error or anything I make, I need to be constantly reminded or I dont proof-read, lol.  
  
Anyway, cookies for my reviewers. Choc-fudge for the best review.  
  
-Thai, xox. 


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